Just before Andrew Strauss was set to play his final Test for the country, during the series against South Africa in 2012, a controversy broke out when Kevin Pietersen sent provocative texts to the some of the South African players. The England batsman had criticized a few of his team-mates, the then-England skipper Strauss and coach Andy Flower in a series of texts. Strauss, in his new autobiography Driving Ambition' has revealed the details of the text-messages saga, one of the biggest controversies to rock England in recent times.

What was supposed to be one of the biggest moment of his life, playing his last Test at the Mecca of Cricket, Lord's, was marred by the events beyond his control, Strauss said in his autobiography. The former England captain mentioned that instead of the game being a 'rousing emotional affair', he was feeling quite the opposite, frustrated, tired, dejected, and unable to celebrate the occasion.

"I make my way from the outfield at Lord's, head bowed and dejected. In the Long Room, I avert my gaze from the inquisitive members as I head for the sanctuary of the dressing room. This is the last time I will make this walk as an England cricketer, although I am far too frustrated, tired and generally hacked off with life for it to be a rousing emotional affair. I still feel unbelievably frustrated at what has happened over the last seven days. What is meant to be one of the great occasions in any cricketer's career, a 100th Test match, has been marred by events beyond my control. This is no celebration," Strauss mentioned in his book.

"The England cricket team are in crisis again. Coach Andy Flower and I have found ourselves in the middle of a destabilising and potentially damaging PR game between Kevin Pietersen, the England cricket team and the ECB. I feel incredibly tired, as though I have simply run out of energy -- I have nothing more to give. I am also wallowing in a rising tide of sadness. This is not the way I wanted my England career to end," the former England skipper added.

Strauss said he first received the information regarding the texts from coach Flower. He added that he was not too bothered about the maverick cricketer sending texts to the opposition team members but what offended him was that Pietersen had criticized him in the messages.

"It started days earlier when I took a call from Flower. 'Straussy, I don't know how to tell you this, but I have received information that KP has sent some text messages to the South African players criticising you and perhaps even giving them information on how to get you out. A newspaper is apparently in possession of the texts and intends to print them.' I was dumbfounded. I wasn't all that bothered about him sending texts to a few South African players he knew quite well. I did, however, have issues with him criticising me to the opposition. That felt like talking out of school, not to mention giving the opposition a way to drive a wedge between Pietersen and myself and the team," Strauss wrote in his book.

Calling Pietersen's act as treachery, Strauss said he found it difficult to move on as Pietersen at that time had neither refuted to have sent the text nor had he apologized. "And if he really had given information about how to get me out, well, that amounted to treachery and I would never forgive him. It was impossible to move on without Kevin either refuting he had sent the messages or apologising for sending them, and letting us know the substance of the texts. He was alleged to have referred to me as a 'doos' -- which in slang can have a more insulting meaning."

"From that moment, clear battle lines were drawn between Pietersen and the ECB. To me, it was a clear case: someone had overstepped the team boundaries. If KP wanted to come back into the fold then he would have to apologise and accept punishment. Then we could move on," Strauss further mentioned.

While mentioning that Pietersen had come down to his house and offered his apologies which he accepted, Strauss said the incident left many involved with English cricket let down as that episode undermined all the efforts of the players, who worked hard for three years to make the team environment special and different.

"After being dropped for the Test, KP admitted sending 'provocative' text messages and after the match came to my house and sincerely apologised. I accepted his apology and hold no grudges against him. I am also confident, in retrospect, that he did not give the South Africans information on how to get me out. The far greater issue was one of trust. There were many involved with English cricket, including myself, who felt particularly let down. Stuff that should have stayed in the dressing room had been played out in front of the media."

Strauss also said the text messages were not due to any issues between him any Pietersen but it was because the cricketer had long-standing issues with the England and Wales Cricket Board. "I am very uncomfortable with the notion that the whole circus came about because of issues between KP and myself. I had replaced him as England captain in 2009, but till then we had never had any significant disputes. The text messages were a big problem but they stemmed from a long-standing and far bigger issue between Kevin and the board."

While Strauss was largely not involved in any stand-offs earlier, the former England skipper mentioned that he came into the picture during the series against South Africa in July 2012. Strauss said he had tried to speak to Pietersen several times then, but the cricketer seemed prepared to separate himself from English cricket and the left-hander had failed to realise that his team-mate was close to the edge.

"As captain, I could not let it go and I called him into a back room to make it clear his behaviour was unacceptable (after his lack of determination and ambition during practice sessions). I was shocked by his lack of contrition and his apparent hostility towards me. Conscious that we still had a vital Test match to win, I asked a few of the senior players -- Cook, Anderson and Prior -- to plead for him to re-engage in proceedings. To his credit, he came out and showed far more energy in the field. What's more, he later played one of the most audacious innings I have ever seen from an English player. He pulverised the world's best bowling attack en route to a brilliant 149. You can say what you want about Kevin Pietersen, but you can never doubt his immense ability," Strauss stated.

Strauss said despite Pietersen's brilliant ton, the batsman did not bother to wave the bat towards the dressing room, which was a definite sign that things were coming to a head. The former skipper added that said he was not at all surprised when the batsman had given a disturbing press conference, indicating that he might have played his last Test for the country.

While mentioning that the spoof twitter account might have provoked Pietersen, Strauss said the batsman had crossed the line when he mentioned that he found it tough playing for the England cricket team, which implied that he was not being treated properly by his team-mates.

"What greatly puzzled me, though, was his comment that, 'It's tough being me, playing for England', seemingly implying he was being treated badly by his team-mates in the dressing room. I know that it later emerged he was upset with the spoof Twitter account, called 'KP genius', that some players had followed, and that he even suspected that one or more of the team were involved. There was certainly no time while I was captain when I thought Kevin was being victimised in the dressing room," Strauss said.

Strauss said England were already preparing for a 'life without Pietersen' when Flower received a call from Hugh Morris, who mentioned that the temperamental cricketer wanted to re-commit himself to the team.

"When Andy Flower and I sat (met) a couple of days later to discuss how best to approach the problem, Andy received a call from ECB managing director Hugh Morris to say Kevin had spoken to him and, after some serious reflection, wanted to recommit himself to the England cricket team. Hugh had suggested a meeting with him and his agent that evening. On the surface, KP pledging himself to English cricket was the best-case scenario, but some serious bridge-building would be required."

Strauss mentioned that Pietersen was remorseful for his actions when they met him, expressing his willingness and commitment to work for the good of England cricket. "When we met, KP seemed contrite about what had happened and, having had time to consider the repercussions of turning his back on English cricket, he re-affirmed his willingness and commitment to come back into the fold. Without the sudden appearance of those text messages -- which had come to light a little too conveniently from a South African point of view for my liking -- the matter would have been well on the way to being solved. We could all have forgiven and forgotten."